The Gambia Peace Corps Volunteer Brian Carroll wins Peace Corps and Glimpse Short Story Contest on the Global Food Crisis

The contest, held in late 2008 and early 2009, asked Volunteers to express through a story and accompanying photos an experience they had while serving abroad that illuminates an aspect the global food crisis.

Caption: I squat in front of the giant stainless steel bowl and struggle to squeeze into the open space. Keeping our balance is difficult—one ill-timed twitch, one spasm, and we might all end up on our backs. Photo by Brian Carroll.

Washington, D.C., May 18, 2009 - Peace Corps, along with Glimpse.org, are pleased to announce that Brian Carroll, of Santa Maria, Calif., a Volunteer currently serving in The Gambia, is the winner of the "Peace Corps and Glimpse Short Story Contest on the Global Food Crisis."

The contest, held in late 2008 and early 2009, asked Volunteers to express through a story and accompanying photos an experience they had while serving abroad that illuminates an aspect the global food crisis.

Thirty-three entries from Volunteers serving throughout the world were received and judged by members of the Peace Corps Food Security Task Force. The top stories were submitted to Glimpse, which features stories from young adults living overseas and is supported in part by National Geographic Society, and Carroll's story was selected as the winning entry for its online publication: http://glimpse.org/.

In addition, Peace Corps is featuring the top ten finalists from the story and photo contest on the Food Security section of the Peace Corps website: www.peacecorps.gov/foodsecurity.

Volunteers serve in 76 countries, with 40 percent involved in some capacity to support food security through projects in health and nutrition, agriculture, and the environment. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, 37 countries worldwide are severely affected by the current food crisis. The Peace Corps operates in 15 of those countries: Bolivia, China, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritania, Moldova, Nicaragua, Swaziland, and Uganda.

Said Peace Corps acting Director Jody K. Olsen, "These Volunteer stories and photos give a true on-the-ground view of the food crisis, and help raise awareness of the challenges faced by so many people around the world. Our Volunteers are being equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to work with other agencies and organizations to mitigate the adverse consequences of the crisis—they play a unique role in education, agricultural development, and income generation, and offer hope to the communities they serve."

Said Glimpse Editor in Chief Kerala Taylor, "Brian Carroll's story shows us how small, personal glimpses into life abroad can reveal quite a bit about the larger issues of our time. In the telling interactions that Brian has with villagers in The Gambia, we not only learn about the challenges that rural farmers face, but we also learn about possible solutions. Peace Corps volunteers are in a unique position to share personal experiences from remote areas that are largely ignored by Western reporters and travelers. Glimpse looks forward to sharing more of their stories."

About Peace Corps: Peace Corps is celebrating a 48-year legacy of service at home and abroad. Since 1961, more than 195,000 Volunteers have helped promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of the 139 countries where Volunteers have served. Peace Corps Volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment.

Glimpse, a nonprofit supported in part by National Geographic Society, aims to encourage young people to care about other cultures, change the way they think about the overseas experience, and challenge them to explore real life abroad. Glimpse, which used to publish quarterly print publications, is now an online-only platform, offering stories, photos, tips, and blogs created by talented people living all over the globe. Glimpse works with storytellers to develop feature stories, giving aspiring writers and photographers the chance to experience a professional editorial process and hone their storytelling skills.

Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL InterviewPeace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.

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Story Source: Peace Corps Press Release

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - The Gambia; Writing - The Gambia; Photography; Awards; Agriculture

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